Improved harness-fastening



' mined States anni (tijm.

SHE-RROD S. LITTLEAND HENRY P. WESTOOTT, OF MACON, GEORGIA7 4ASSIGNORS TO SMITH,'WESTOOTT & OO., OF SAME PLAGE.

.Letters Patent No. 101,141, dated March 22, 1870.

IMPROVE!) HARNESS-FASTENING.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To vall whom it may conce/rn.-

Beit known that we, SHERROD S. LITTLE and HENRY I. Wnsroo'rr, both of Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement iu Harness-Fastenings, of

` which'the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, and in which-- Figure 1 represents a back-band hook and plate, constructed in accordance with our invention, and constituting theimprovement in harness-astenings herein referred to.

Figure? is a longitudinal section of said plate.

YSimilar letters .of reference indicate corresponding parts. 1

Our improvement in harness-fastenings relatesto `what is known as the back-band hook, used for plowing; and

lhe invention consists in a peculiar construction of ythe hook-plate-whereby the hook is made adjustable, in such manner as that, wit-hout taking it out of the plate', the connection withv the back-band can be shortcned or lengthened to suit diierent-sized horses or mules, 'or to suit variable depths of plowing, that is, shallow or'deep as the case may be, and so that, when the plow is hitched to run at a given depth, it may be readily changed to work at a different one without changing the back-band on the loins or forward to the shoulder of the animal; and

The invention further consists in a peculiar or flatshaped construction of the hook in combination with said plate, whereby the hook cannot be jerked out of position while plowing without turning -it at right angles to or across the hook-plate. y

Such improvement essentially differs from a hookplate in which a hook of rounded form is used to t within any one oi a series of detached slots made in the raised portion of the plate, and whereby, to adjust the hook to different positions ou the plate, it is necessary to take it out entirely' from the plate, and atterward to reinsert it at its changed position, which is not only troublesome and inconvenient, but exposes the hook, by .its 'removal from the plate, to beinglost.

B is a longitudinal slotformed in said plate, and

connecting, by narrow branch openings O, arranged at proper distance apart along the inner edge of the slot B, with a series of short longitudinal slots or openings, I), in the central or raised portion of the plate.

E is the hook, which is of flattened shape er construction, and of only slightly less thickness than the width of the branch openings C, at its shank-end, which terminates iu a button, F, arranged to lie on the inside of the plate, and of larger dimensions than will admit of it passiugout through the slots or openings in the plate.

To shift the hook from any one of the openings D to any other of them, so as to give to it a more forward or backward position on the plate, it is not necessary to take the hook out of the plate, but simply to turn and slide it iu and along the branch openings() and general or connecting longitudinal slot B, and after the hook has been so adjusted or changed, its flat construction prevent-s it being jerked out of posit-ion, while plowing, without turning it at right angles to or across the hook-plate. o

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1'. The combination of the main longitudinal slot B with the branch openings C, and secondary longitudinal slots or springs D, in the plate A, for use in connection with a hook, adjustable in a locked manner or without being removed from said plate to ditlerent positions therein or along, substantially asspecitied.

2. 'lhe plate A, slotted asdescribed, in combina- .tion with the adjustable hook E, when said hook is 

